The Final Three Holes

Written on 9-23-23 later that night, 9:06 PM.

     We just wrapped up sitting around our little fire pit with A, Grant, and Rachel.  Roscoe went to bed early, but Kody stayed with us until we were done.  What a super day!  Golf, writing about golf, and camping with friends.  Just wonderful.

I still have a cold or allergies going on.  After the round, Grant and I went to Walmart, so I could buy some more tissue.  I also bought some more Afrin, because I left the one I have at home.  I just used it, and I hope it will help me breathe easier tonight.

Grant had such a good time today that he wants to come back in late October after James’s wedding.  That most likely won’t happen, but we could go to Hillcrest.  He said that he had not played there before, and I told him it was more wide open like the Meadows course today.  He liked that.  We shall see what happens.

Back to golf…

I said I would write about the last three holes, so here I go.

On #16, My drive made it past...

the big hill in the middle of this hole, but I was in the first cut on the left side.  I had 150ish yards uphill, so I chose my 7-iron.  It ended up an inch off the green, so I chose to putt it.  It would have been nice to have known that it would have been preferable to be below the hole beforehand, but that’s the way it goes playing recreational golf sometimes.  My putt had to approach a small hill in the middle of the green, slow down, and then trickle to the hole right at the base of that hill.  Thankfully, my putt did just that, and I only had a foot left.  Grant was once again impressed.  Eric had the same putt, but he did not fare as well.  His reached the top of the hill with too much speed, and his ball went six feet past the hole.  It was far enough to miss the comeback putt, too.  When he did that, even I was impressed with my putt.

On #17, or #8 on Ponderosa, I messed up.  This is the only hole on the back where I really blew it.  I had all pars and only one bogey up to that point, and I was playing really well.  I will add this to the lessons from this round, but of course it’s easier to see it now.  I chose my 6-iron, but I should have chosen my 7-iron.  It would have been better to miss short on this hole.  My ball landed just past the back of the green and caromed off the hill and into oblivion.  Argh.  We never found it.

Eric said to take two strokes, so I dropped a ball behind the green and got up and down in only two shots for an illegal five.  Grant, Eric, and I were giving leeway to each other a few times in the round, and I got the benefit on this one.  It was some nifty short game, though.  I wonder if we would have found my first ball with more time, but a group was coming up behind us.  Oh, well.

On #18 or #9 on Ponderosa, I finished strong.  My drive went just left and missed the fairway by a few inches.  My second shot went left of the fairway, too, but it got me within 160 yards.  My approach shot was into the wind.  I chose my 5-iron, but I nearly shanked it over to the right side of the fairway.  

My fourth shot was with my pitching wedge from around 70 yards, and I swooshed it towards the green.  It landed, bounced a few times, and then it hit the flagstick!  Grant was super impressed once more.  He came back to fist-bump me.  My ball stopped a couple of feet away, so I ended the back nine with one more par, making it seven pars, one bogey, and one illegal double for a 38.  That was some of the best golf I have played this season.